Family Sues Military Seeking Autism Therapy Coverage

Autism behavior therapy is a benefit provided to active duty military, but a technicality prevents retired service members from taking advantage. Now, a Florida couple is suing, hoping to persuade the military to change course.

Kenneth and Dawn Berge have spent more than $50,000 on applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy, for their son Zach, 5, who has autism. If Kenneth Berge was still in the Air Force, a supplement to the military health care provider Tricare would pick up as much as $36,000 of that tab. But since he retired in 2006, the family is left to foot the bill alone even though they are covered by Tricare.

The discrepancy in benefits is not sitting well with the Berges, who are now suing the Department of Defense. It is estimated that at least 8,800 children of retired service members have an autism diagnosis.

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“We believewith our military members serving like they have, this is something they would be covering,” Dawn Berge told The Los Angeles Times. To read more click here.

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